Air-supplying apparatus



H. M. HERRING.

AIR SUPPLYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAYZI. 1919.

1 ,3 3 1 ,4'73 iatentcd Feb. 17, 1920.

Z SHEETS-SHEET I.

H. M. HERRING.

AIR SUPPLYING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED MAY2I,19I9- 1,331,473. Patented Feb. 17,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Snow W01 H/V/Verrz;

HARLO lll.

AIR-SUEPLYING Application filed i ay 21, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

lie it known that I, HARLO M. Humane, a citizen of the United States, residing at Marshall, in the county of Lyon and State otlilinnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Supplying lip: paratus, ot which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to mechanisms used for supplying what is termed free air to anlOHiO.lli StS for the purpose oi? inflating the tires of their machines. 7

Tn apparatus of this character the air is supplied by means of a flexible hose, and air hose almost invariably leaks. This means a constant loss of air pressure in the supply tankwhich requires a more or less constant operation of the power pinup to keep up the pressure, particula "ly inasmuch as the flexililo hose, lying as it does on the ground or sidewalk, is liable to be broken and punc tured.

T he general object t my 'nvcntion, theretore, isto provide means for reducing this loss by leakage by cutting off the passage air to this flexible hose when it is in use, and to this enn to provide means for controlling the pass ge of compressed air from the supply tank so to permit the air to be supplied, that is the air line opened trot. the supply tank tor a certain definite length of time, and then cause the air to be cut oil and re lain cut oil until the main controlling valve is again operated.

And a filltlfil obiect is to provide a mechanism ot this character wherein oil or other liquid is "forced into a. cylinder by the openin g of the main valve, which opening of the main valve also causes a discharge of air from the tank, and that when the tank has been filled with oil, the return movement of the oil in the tank will cause eventually the closing of the main controlling valve, thus causing the pipe line leading from the air tank to the car to be kept open during the time that the tank is filling with oil and the oil is being discharged therefrom, and then automaticall 7 cutting off the supply of air until the main valve is again operated.

Other objects the course will appear in of the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of Specification of Letters Patent.

HERE-111G, 0F MARSHALL, IVII'NNESOTA.

APYARATUS.

Patented Feb. 17, 1920.

Serial N0. 235.738.

an air controlling apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a tagmentary vertical sectional view showing the position of the parts when the piston is raised:

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of the valve 18; and

Fig. i is a the valve 32.

Referring to these drawings, designates an 011 containing chamber or tank which is mounted in any suitable manner, as upon the bottom of casing 11, this tank having a lilling opening 1'2, having an air cook 13 permitting the tank to be filled with oil, either completely or to certain level, and allowing the escape of air for this purpose. The bottom of the oil tank 10 is connected by a pipe ll to the lower end oi? a cylinder 15, and above this pipe 14; the cylinder 15 is connected by a pipe 16 to the tank 10. The pipe 14 is provided between its ends with a check valve 1'? opening toward the cylinder 15 but closing upon back pressure. The pipe 16 is provided with a re' lating valve 18 of any suitable construe which controlled by a handle 1 This regulating valve may be so adiusted as to control the rapidity of passage of the oil trom the cylinder 15 back into the tank 10. Disposed within the cvlinde" l is a piston 20 having a piston l ..1 h extends up through the cylinder and out through a suitable stuliing box at the top of the cylinder.

A pipe 23 extends out of the housing or casing 11 and adapted to be connected by the nipple 24: to an air supply tank wherein the air is kept at a certain pressure. From the pipe extend two branches 25 and 26. The pipe line 2-5 leads to a rubber hose, which rubber hose carries upon it the usual valve whereby it may be connected to the tire valve of the automobile. The branch 26'. however. leads to a valve casing 27 sup ported on brackets 28. and having therein avalve 29 provided with a handle 30 by which the valve 29 may be rotated to an open position. The valve 29 is normallv urged to its closed position. From the valve casing 27 extends a pipe 31 which opens into the upper portionof the oil tank 10.

Disposed in the length of the branch pipe 25 is a rotatable valve 32, having an arm 33 connected by a contractile spring 34 to the upper end olj the piston r od- 21 at the point longitudinal sectional view oi of the. valve 18.

a return of the oil position.

Two relatively light springs 36 are atthus resisting an upward movement of the, piston rod. The p1pe23 may carry a branch 38 connected to a pressure gage 39.

N ow when the valve ing the handle 30 to a depressed position, communication is established between the supply tank and the upper portion of the oil tank 10 through the 26, and pipe 31. Oil wil therefore, be. forced under pressure out through the tank 10, through the pipe let, past the valve 17, and into the cylinder 15, raising the piston 20. This forces the piston 20 upward, together with the piston rod 21, and carries upward that end of the spring 3% which is connected to the piston rod at the point 35, After the end of the spring 3%- reaches the point a where it is pposite the extremity of the arm 33, the spring 34 exerts a gradual lifting upon the free end of the arm 33, thus causing the arm 33 to more upwz opening the valve 32, until the arm reaches the stop pin 40, at which time the piston has lifted to its full extent. Theopening of the valve 32 allows air to pass through pipe 25 to the hose line which is connected to the inflating valve. As soon as the piston is lifted its full amount, the handle 30 of the valve 29 is released, whereupon it automatically flies up and closes the valve. After the handle 30 is released and the valve 29 is closed, com munication between the upper portion of the oil tank 10 and the air supply is cut oil" and, therefore, the two springs 36 tend to pull the piston 20 downward. v

Upon a downward movement of the piston 20, the check valve 17 closes, thus preventing from the cylinder 15 to the tank 10 through the pipe 14, and, therefore, the oil must pass backward or return to the oil tank through the pipe 16 Thus, degree the oil returns to the tank 10 with of rapidity depending upon the regulation This valve is so regulated or timed that the oil will-take two minutes, for instance, to pass from the cylinder 15, back through the valve 18 into the oil ehan1- her or tank 10, thus yieldingly resisting the downward movement of the piston and the consequent return of thevalve 32 to its closed Thus, for instance, the valve 32 may be caused to remain open for a period of two minutes or for any other desired period. The arm 33 is stopped when the valve is full closed by engagement with the stop 38 Preferably, asignal is mounted upon the casing, so designed that when the piston has reached its full upward movement, the signal will be displayed reading Full Air, or words to that efi'ect, and when the piston to any othersuitable p01-,

27 is opened by rotat pipe 23, branch v operator.

force to cause the quick has been lowered to its full extent, thesignal will read No Air,or words to that effe t. Thus, for instance I have shown a member iii full extent, the upper end of the inter; ro'u will strike same portion of the member ll and force it to a position where the si Full Air will be displayed. A chain 12 1 attached to this member 1%,this chain bein= ordinarily slack, but when the piston ha descended to its full extent, thischain wil be tightened, drawing the member ll to a position where thewords No Air will he displayed. These signs, it will be of course understood, appear at the outside of the box or casing where they will be visilole to the The air cock 13 is left open slightly at all times so as to let air escape as the oii'enters the oil tanks or chamber 10 upon the backward stroke of the piston.

This valve is to be placed in any desired position outside of an establishment offering freeair to the public for the purpose of inrating auton'iohile tires, thus doing away with the necessity of using an expensive and extra electric motor and pump, The device is automatic in its operation and may be used in connection with the ordinary airv supply tank which is to be found in practically all establishments offering free air to the publi for tire inflating purposes.

It will be noted that as the piston rod 21 rises the contractile spring 34 will exert no such pull on the arm 33 as to cause it to move to an open position until the piston rod has risen to the point a. While the piston rod is moving from the point a to the point 7), the contractile spring 3% is exerting a and sudden opening of the valve and that upon a reverse move ment of the piston rod, the contractile spring 34- will exert no action upon the arm 33 until the up per end of the piston rod is lowered to the position 0. Then the spring the center of the arm 33 and exerts a pulling action upon the arm, which causes the valve to suddenly close.

While I have illustrated preferred form of my invention, and one which I have found to be thoroughly effective in practice, yet I donot wish to be limited thereto, as it is obvious that many chan es might be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim: I V

1. Means for controlling the delivery of compressed air comprising a liquid tank having a connection at its upper end to a source of fluid under press'urasaid connection being provided with a normally closed controlling valve, a cylinder, means connecting the lower end of the liquid tank with the cylinder and permitting the movement. of liquid from the tank into said cylinder but retarding the return movement of liquid from the cylinder into the tank, a fluid delivery pipe connected to the source or compressed fluid, a delivery valve mounted therein, a piston in the cylinder, and means connecting the piston with the fluid valve to cause an opening of the fluid valve uponan outward movement of the piston due to the passage of liquid into the cylinder but causing the closing or the air valve when the pisston has descended a predetermined amount.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a source of fluid under pressure and a delivery pipe for said fluid, of a delivery valve controlling passage through the delivery pipe, manually controlled means shiftable in one direction to cause an opening movement or the valve, means acting to reversely shift said manually controlled means, and means acting automatically to hold the valve open a predete anined time after the reverse movement of the manually controlled means and then close said delivery valve.

3. In apparatus of the character ibed, the combination with a source oi? n id under pressure and a delivery pipe leading therefrom. of a delivery va controlling passage through saidpipe, a liquid receiving cylinder having a plston, a piston rod, means holding the fluid delivery va re closed until the piston and piston rod have traveled in one direction a predetermined distance through the cylinder and then can i v the quick,- opening of the valve, and holding the delivery valve open until the piston and piston rod have traveled a predetermined distance in the other direction through the cylinder and then can the quick closing of said valve, fluid pr tuated means "for ilorcing liquid into said cylinder behind the piston to cause the shifting of the piston in a direction to open said delivery valve, manually cont-rolled means for establishing connection between the source of fluid under pressure and the said fluid pressure actuated means, and means retarding the movement of the piston and piston rod in a direction to cause the closing of said valve. I

i. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a source of fluid under pressure and a supply pipe leading therefrom, of a delivery valve controlling passage through said supply pipe, at liquid containing tank, a. pipe leading from the source of fluid under pressure into said liquid tank, a manually actuatable valve controlling the passage of the fluid into said liquid tank, a cylinder having therein a piston and a pistonrod, a connection between the liquid tank and one end of the cylinder, permitting the passage of the liquid from the ing arm,

tank into the cylinder behind the piston in one direction ut retarding the passage of liquid in the opposite direction from the cylinder into the tank, and means for causing the sudden opening of the valve in said supply pipe when the piston has shifted a predetermined distance under the aclon o't said liquid, said means causing a closing of the valve when the piston has shifted in a. reverse direction a predetermined distan In an apparatus of the character 1 scribed, the combination fluid under pressure and a supply pipe leading therefrom, or a delivery valve controlling the passage through said supply pipe, a liquid containing tank, a pipe leading from the source of fluid under pressure into said liquid tank, a manually actuatable valve controlling the passage of the fluid into sad liquid tank, a cylinder having therein a 1 ton and a piston rod, a connection between the liquid tank and one end of the cylinder, permitting the passage 01" the liquid from the tank into the cylinder behind. the piston in one direction but restricting the of liquid in the opposite direction from the cylinder into the tank, a spring resisting the outward movement of the piston a, l nston rod, an arm extending from the supply delivery valve, contractile spring connected to the piston and to said arm, the po nt of connection between the piston and the spring: moving across the pivotal center of the arm whereby a movement of the piston rod out of. the cylinder a predetermined distance will cause the spring to pass the center 0'? the arm and delivery valve and cause the sudden opening of the valve and a return movement of the piston rod will cause a sudden closing of the delivery valve after the said point of connection has passed the center of i valve arm.

6. In an apparatus oi the character described, the combination with a source oi? r under pressure, of a liquid tank having an air escape valve in its upper portion, a cylinder having therein a piston, a piston rod extending from the piston upward through the cylinder, a tubular connection leading from the lower end of the liquid tank into the lower end of the cylinder and having therein a check valve, a tubular connection leading from the lower end oi the cylinder into the tank and having therein a manually regulatable passage, springs resisting the upward movement of the piston rod, a tubular connection between the upper end of said tank and a source of air under pressure, a. valve in said connection normally urged to a closed position but manually rotatable to an open position, a rotatable delivery valve in the supply pipe having a radially extendthe arm extending in a direction away from the path of movement of the piston rod, and the piston rod moving from a with a source 0:

.nected to the delivery valve and to close it when said point below said arm to a point above the arm, and a contractile spring connecting the extremity of the arm with the piston rod.

n'an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a source of air under pressure, of a liquid tank having-an air escape valve in its upper portion, a cylinder having therein a piston, a piston rod extending from the piston upward through the cylinder, a tubular connection leading from the lower end of the liquid ,tank into the lower end of the cylinder and having there in a check valve, a tubular connection leading from the lower end of the cylinder into the tank and having therein a manually regulatable passage, springs resisting the upward movement of the piston rod, a tubular connection between the upper end of said tank and a source of air under pressure, a valve in said connection normally urged to a closed position but manually rotatable to an open position, a rotatable delivery valve in the supply pipe having a radially extending arm, the arm extending in a direction away from the path of movement of the piston rod and the piston rod moving from a point below said arm to a point above the arm, and a contractile spring connecting the extremity of the arm with the piston rod, and a signal shifted in one direction by a movement of the piston rod to its fully raised position and shifted to another position uponthe return of the piston rodto its lowered position.

character dea source of fluid under pressure, a deliver Y pipe and a valve therein, of valve operating means movable in two directions and operatively con to open it when said means has fully moved in one direction means has fully moved in the other direction, manually operable means for causing the first named movement of the valve operating means, antomatically acting means for causing a r verse movement of the valve operating means, and means retarding said reverse In an apparatus of the movement of theva-lve operating means. to thereby cause the delivery valve to remain open a predetermined length of time.

In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a source of fluid under pressure and a delivery pipe, of a liquid containing chamber, a branch pipe leading from the delivery pipe into said liquid containing chamber, a delivery valve in the delivery pipe, manually operable means in said branch pipe for establishing or disestablishing connection between the liquid containing chamber and the source of fluid, and means operatively connected to the delivery valve andactuated by the discharge of liquid from said chamber under the action of the fluid admitted to the chamber from said source, causing the valve to open, means permitting the discharge of fluid from the chamber after the connection between the chamber and the source of pressure has been disestablished to thereby permit the reverse movement or the valve operating means to cause the closing of the valve.

I An apparatus of the character described including in combination 'asource of fluid under pressure, a delivery pipe therefrom, a delivery valve in controlling the passage of fluid therethrough, a manually controlled member movable in one direction from an initial position, means urging said member toward its initial position, said member when it has fully moved in a direction away from its initial position causing the opening of the'valve, and when it has returned to its initial position causing the closing of the valve, means for retarding the speed of movement of said member to its, initial position, and a signal movable to a display position'upon a full movement of said member in a predetermined direction.

In testimony whereof I hereunto atflx my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HARLO M. HERRING.

Witnesses:

J. VoN WILLIAMS, H. O. GREGORY.

7 5 the delivery pipe 

